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<br />In Nevada and California a new dUlll-rrllcer chemical technique was del.eloped 10 assess rile <br />;mpacr ofseed;ng on winler :moU'packs. Sewral.~tale projects used numerical models, verified <br />by obsen'at;ons. to study the transport and dispeniol1 of seeding material OWl' mOlUlla;nous <br />terrain. The results of these studies were published in numerous peer-n:viell"ed journal articles. <br /> <br />6.0 Potential Additional H.esearch Oriented Programs to be conducted in the <br />West <br /> <br />There was the potcntialto continuc funding for research and dcvelopment work in <br />weather modification contained in Scnate Bill 5.517 and a companion House lliIlIlR-2995. The <br />purpose of these acts \vould bc to "develop and implement a comprehensive and coordinated <br />national weathcr modilication policy and a national cooperative Fcdcral and State program of <br />weathcr modification rescarch and developmcnt." The act proposcd funding of $1 0.000.000 per <br />year for cach of the fiscal ycars of 2005 through 2014. The Western Statcs Water Council passcd <br />a resolution supporting thesc acts at a meeting held in Scattle Washington on July 15.2005. Thc <br />adopted resolution states that "Thc Western States Water Council strongly supports enactmcnt of <br />the \Veathcr Modification Technology Transfer Act of 2004 (S. 517 and II.R. 2995). with thc <br />addition of a provision assuring compliance with applicable state la\"is." Senate Bill 517 \../as <br />hcard by the Committce on Commcrec. Sciencc and Transportation on Novembcr 10.2005. and <br />has becn placcd on the Senate Legislative Calcndar undcr General Orders. Calendar No. 319. <br />Thc amcnded S. 517 is markedly differcnt from the original. mainly in thc creation of a <br />subcommittec (chaired by a NOAA reprcsentativc and also consisting ofNSF and NASA <br />mcmbers) to oversec the rescarch program. and with thc original Board now being formcd to <br />advise the subcommittee. The sllbeommittee is also given thc role of advising on funding <br />required to carry out the rcsearch plan that e\'ol\:es. Thl.' $10 million for 10 years funding <br />componcnt was also removed. <br /> <br />Thc State of Wyoming, through their Wyoming Water Development Commission. <br />rceently approved a fivc year plan to conduct a weather modification program over tbe Wind <br />Rivcr. Mcdicine How and Sicrra Madrc Mountain Rangcs (sce Section 4.0). The cstimated cost <br />of this work is $8.8 million. This program will contain somc research oriented activitics <br />including the use of a sophisticated numerical cloud and difTusion model in both rcal-timc and <br />assessment phases. physical sampling ofthc clouds and the snowpack. and indcpendent <br />cvaluations of the apparcnt cffectiwness ofthc seeding activities. <br /> <br />The California Energy Commission has funded soml.' public interest weather modification <br />research activities and is considcring additional proposals. The gencral goal of this work would <br />be to help optimize the effects of opcrational \\iinter cloud programs currently conducted in the <br />Sicrra Nevada Range of California. A primary vehiclc for such optimization would be applied <br />weather modification research. piggybacked on operational programs. According to the <br />California Water Plan (2005) there were cleven opcrational programs conducted in California <br />during the 2002-2003 winter season. <br /> <br />The New Mexico Wcathcr Modification Association was fonncd in 200-1. This <br />Association is planning wintcr cloud seeding programs that may be conducted in the northern <br />mountains of the state. The Association is seeking funding from the state lcgislature to initiate a <br />